Chapter 1

The day we went to get our marriage license, we were one step away from the finish line when my boyfriend Ryan Shaw let his girl friend Chloe Lambert tear up his ID in front of everyone.

Before I could even react, the guys behind him were already doubled over laughing.

"Emily, you really that desperate to marry Ryan?"

"We bet you wouldn't get it done today, and now you don't even have the paperwork!"

"You really think snagging Ryan is gonna make you a somebody?"

Ryan patted my head affectionately, a lazy smile on his face. "Chloe's right. You get jealous way too easy. Figured I'd teach you a lesson before the wedding. You don't just marry into the Shaw family."

Amid the unrestrained laughter, the clerk knocked awkwardly on the desk. "Ma'am, we close in five minutes. If the paperwork isn't all here, we can't process it."

Chloe's smile grew more smug. "Hear that? Even if you get back in line, you can't get the license without the ID. You should take him and go get that ID replaced."

I turned around coldly and called Ryan's worst enemy, James Parker. "I'll marry you. Get to City Hall in five minutes, and I'll get the license with you."

*****

I hung up and went to sit in the corner farthest from all of them.

When Ryan saw me sitting alone, he strolled over and reached for my hand. "Don't be dramatic. If it doesn't happen today, it happens another day. You really have to make a scene in front of everyone?"

I pulled my hand back and spoke up in front of them for the first time.

"I'm the one being dramatic? Who tore up the ID right when we were about to make it official? You planned this whole thing. And now you're turning it around on me?"

It was the first time I'd ever blown up in public. The people around us went quiet for a few seconds.

I kept going. "Last month, who hid my project proposal and made me tear the whole office apart looking for it for three hours? Who turned our anniversary dinner into a boys' night out and left me sitting alone with a cake until midnight?

"And over New Year, who gave me the wrong flight number on purpose and left me standing in the terminal from afternoon till past midnight? You get your kicks watching me fall apart, don't you?"

Ryan frowned. "We were just messing around. Do you have to interrogate me like I'm on trial? Chloe and the others took time off work to be here today. You really want to ruin it for everyone?"

I yanked my hand free and let out a cold laugh. "Took time off to be here for us? Were they here to watch us get married, or to watch me humiliate myself? You know exactly which one."

Ryan's face darkened. The others finally stopped laughing.

But the quiet only lasted a few seconds before they all started chiming in again.

"Emily, come on, you're only this upset because you care about Ryan."

"We didn't mean anything by it. Just having a bit of fun. Why are you so worked up?"

"Ryan was just testing you. You're the one who gets jealous over everything. We were only joking around!"

Chloe leaned closer to Ryan and muttered under her breath, batting her eyes. "Emily's really got a temper on her."

I stared at Ryan. "Did you tell them to tear it up?"

He nodded, completely unbothered. "Yeah.

"You've been on my case about getting married nonstop lately. Had me wound up. I just wanted you to understand that even after we're married, you can't make me your whole world. It gets exhausting."

I smirked and suddenly felt like the past three years had been one big joke. "Don't worry. You won't be my world anymore."

Ryan's brow twitched when he heard that.

Chloe and the others immediately crowded in.

"See, Emily? You even double-checked the bouquet like five times. You're trying way too hard. Ryan's just playing with you. Don't be so sensitive."

Ryan nodded along, that lazy smile back on his face. "You really should work on that. If your reactions weren't so entertaining, we wouldn't keep messing with you."

I looked down. For the past three years, every time they finished messing with me, Ryan would hold me and sweet-talk me for ages. He'd say his friends meant no harm, that they included me because they saw me as family.

I used to think that was closeness. It was never that. He'd hurt me, then be sweet to me, and I'd stay.

I looked up and swept my gaze coldly across the room. "You all feel so free to do this because Ryan doesn't give a damn about me. Isn't that right?"

Nobody answered. The smile finally dropped from Ryan's face.

Only Chloe seemed to notice something was off. She tugged timidly at my sleeve. "Emily, I'm sorry.

"I thought they were just joking around and would give the ID back. Ryan said you'd definitely make it official in the end, so I went along with it."

I brushed her hand away. "I heard your apology. I don't accept it."

Chloe's face went pale.

My phone buzzed. James had sent me his location.

James: [Just left the office. Four minutes out.]

I sat back down in the waiting area.

When they saw me sit back down, Chloe and the others started laughing again.

"Told you. No way Emily would actually leave."

"She can throw all the fits she wants. She's still sitting right there waiting."

One of Ryan's buddies held up his phone, pointing it at my face. "Let's see how long the future Mrs. Shaw can hold out before she loses it."